FOR FASHION, A GLITTERING NIGHT OF HONORS

By BERNADINE MORRIS

Published: January 13, 1987

It could be viewed as a comfortable family gathering, or as a glittering assembly of stars. Last night 450 people in evening clothes gathered at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a dignified fashion awards ceremony followed by a home-style meat loaf dinner. The atmosphere was both stylish and glamorous, the kind of mixture the fashion industry manages to pull off with panache.

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, the national honorary society of 140 creative people in fashion, was the host. The guest list included prominent retailers, members of the fashion press and such fashion followers as Annette Reed, Pat Buckley, Mica Ertegun and Nan Kempner, who often appear in the front row at fashion shows. Tickets were $750, except for the designers, who paid $250. Ninety were scheduled to appear, which made it the largest turnout of designers in anybody's memory.

The mood was elegant but subdued as the majority of women wore long, slender black dresses marked by cutouts at the back, in quiet fabrics like wool crepe. This made the handful of red dresses stand out in bold relief. 'There's a Camaraderie'

It was the council's sixth awards ceremony, and Donna Karan, one of those honored, said: ''There's a camaraderie about these evenings. All the designers get together, along with the people we work with all the time. It's like a celebration at the beginning of the new year. It's more than just the awards - it's one of the nicest parties we go to.''

The awards were presented in the museum's Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium with some of the flourishes of a Hollywood event. Each winner was introduced by a short videotape that included scenes of the designer at work, fashion show clips and interviews. Each award, a stainless steel statuette, was presented by a prominent personality, sometimes two. The eleven winners included six designers, a model, a magazine, a newspaper editor, a television editor and Marlene Dietrich, ''for the inspiration she has been to countless fashion designers over the years.''

''We wanted some showmanship, but we wanted to be dignified - no dancing girls,'' said Oscar de la Renta, president of the council, explaining the video presentations. The awards, selected by the group's directors with the help of an advisory committee of retailers and press people, acknowledged influences on fashion as well as the clothes themselves. Karan and Beene Cited Again

Ms. Karan, a winner for the second consecutive year, was cited ''for her impact on the total look of fashion.'' Her award was presented by Grace Mirabella, editor in chief of Vogue, who wore black - a glistening long-sleeved velvet dress by Geoffrey Beene.

Mr. Beene, also a second-time winner, accepted from Paloma Picasso his award as the outstanding American designer of the year. Miss Picasso was one of the relatively few women in a short bouffant dress, but it was black.

''It feels good to return to the museum where I received my first Coty Award,'' Mr. Beene said. That was in 1964 and he was to be honored seven more times before the Coty program was dropped in 1985.

David Cameron received the Perry Ellis Award for new fashion talent. The award, named for the former council president who died last year, was presented by Carrie Donovan, senior editor of The New York Times Magazine. Ralph Lauren, the designer whose shop at 72d Street and Madison Avenue was cited as ''a new retail environment,'' received his award from Geraldine Stutz, the publisher who was formerly president of Henri Bendel. Kissingers Present Award

Bill Blass, one of the founders of the council in 1972, was presented a lifetime achievement award by Nancy and Henry Kissinger. They took the place of Nancy Reagan, who had tentatively agreed to make the presentation to one of her favorite designers, Mr. de la Renta said. In the only live fashion show of the evening, 20 models appeared in Blass designs.

''One feels old enough without this kind of recognition,'' Mr. Blass said. ''But last year Perry told me he wanted me to have the award, and that makes it especially meaningful.''

Mr. Ellis is credited by many members with having revitalized the designers' association and making it a force in the fashion industry.

''We don't have any official government sponsorship in this business,'' Mr. Blass said. ''It all has to be done privately, and Perry helped show us how it could be done effectively.''

Mr. de la Renta and Linda Gray of the television show ''Dallas jointly presented to Christian Lacroix of Patou, the French couture house, the only award for international design. Miss Gray arrived with Bob Mackie. Mr. Lacroix had come from Paris with his wife, Francoise, to accept. There was a good deal of international travel involved. Dalma Callado, the model who was honored for personifying the spirit of fashion for 1986, flew in from her native Brazil, and Capucine, the 1950's model who presented the award, came from Switzerland. Hebe Dorsey, the fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, came from Paris to give Etta Froio, editor of Women's Wear Daily and W, the Eugenia Sheppard Memorial Award. Elsa Klensch, the style editor of Cable News Network, returned from a holiday in her native Australia to receive from Barbara Walters her award for bringing fashion to television. Miss Walters, in a flaming red one-shoulder Bill Blass dress, recalled her television debut as a bathing-suit model many years ago. Klein an Ebullient Guest

Calvin Klein was an ebullient guest. He and his wife, Kelly, presented Marlene Dietrich's award to Mikhail Baryshnikov.

''I feel I've won the best prize,'' said Mr. Klein, who introduced Katharine Hepburn at last year's event. ''I get to introduce the glamorous ladies of Hollywood. All we need next year is Garbo,''

Aided by grants from the Wool Bureau, the Dallas Market Center and Revlon, the council will contribute at least $100,000 to the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum to preserve American fashion.

Mr. de la Renta also announced a Perry Ellis scholarship at the Parsons School of Design, and pointed out that next year the council would celebrate its 25th anniversary.